Hi everyone,
I want to share a frustrating yet fascinating case study that our local community in Brno, Czechia, has been tackling. It highlights a growing systemic issue on Google Maps: automated third-party data feeds creating “phantom” places that confuse users and clutter the map.
The Issue: One Physical Box, Three Map Pins
At the address Jundrovská 278/24, Brno, there is only one single physical locker box structure in the real world - Alzabox. However, logistics companies like DHL and DPD use this locker as a partner pickup point via software integration.
Instead of these services being listed as attributes or located inside the existing structure, the automated corporate data feeds injected separate, independent physical pins onto the map. To a regular user looking at Google Maps, it looks like three different large locker boxes are standing side-by-side.
Here is how it looks on the map right now:
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The Reality: The actual, physical locker box on-site → Alzabox on Google Maps
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The DHL Ghost: Automatically created “DHL Service Point Locker” (Does not exist physically) → DHL Pin on Google Maps
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The DPD Ghost: Automatically created “DPD Pickup - Alzabox” (Does not exist physically) → DPD Pin on Google Maps
What We Did as a Community
We know how stressful it is for a customer to arrive at a location with a heavy package, or when going to pick up a package - looking for a specific branded red, white or yellow box, only to find something completely different.
Our Local Guides community decided to clean this up:
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Community Reporting: Multiple trusted Local Guides suggested edits marking both the DHL and DPD boxes as - Doesn’t exist
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Undeniable Visual Proof: To make sure Google’s reviewers could see the truth, one of our community members mapped and uploaded a brand new Street View blue line path directly at the location → New Street View Blue Line.
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Detailed Analysis: I even published a complete deep-dive analysis on how these automated logistics feeds create map errors and harm local user experience: Analysis of DPD/DHL vs Alzabox Mapping Faults.
The Roadblock: Trapped in “Pending” Forever
Here is the catch: despite our combined community reports and the fresh, undeniable Street View imagery proving these extra boxes aren’t there, our edits are stuck indefinitely in “Pending” status.
Because these phantom pins are fed by automated corporate databases directly to Google, the algorithm blindly trusts the data feed over the crowdsourced, verified physical reality provided by local contributors.
We are seeking for Advice from the Connect Community & Moderators
We want to clean up our city and keep Google Maps accurate, but we are hitting a brick wall against these automated system feeds.
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What is the best way to escalate these “Feed Conflicts” when standard “Doesn’t exist” edits get stuck?
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Have any of you successfully managed to get Google to prioritize fresh Street View/photo evidence over automated logistics partner databases?
Thank you for your perspective on how to better address the issue - @LudwigGermany @JanVanHaver @MortenCopenhagen
We would love to hear your thoughts, tips, or get some guidance from @MoniDi on how to resolve these ghost POIs permanently?
Greetings from Brno, and keep mapping the real world 